The Farr Side: Top 10 albums of 2007

David T. Farr

Thursday

Dec 27, 2007 at 12:01 AMDec 27, 2007 at 10:46 AM

My list for 2007 isn't based on sales figures, hype or what everybody else is saying, but on what I found myself listening to the most in 2007. I'd like to think it's pretty reflective of the past 12 months, but as in years past, there is a fine line between what made the cut and what didn't.

Time to put together my top 10 favorite CDs for 2007.
My list for 2007 isn't based on sales figures, hype or what everybody else is saying, but on what I found myself listening to the most in 2007.
I'd like to think it's pretty reflective of the past 12 months, but as in years past, there is a fine line between what made the cut and what didn't.
I do know that the older I get the more difficult it is to compile such a list. I do take this opportunity seriously and put much thought into my choices.
Several worthy artists did not make my top 10, mainly because the field this time around contained so many worthy candidates.
Those missing the cut include albums by Timbaland, Rihanna, Maroon 5, Tim McGraw, Daughtry, Mat Kearney, LeAnn Rimes, Annie Lennox, Feist, Josh Groban and the soundtrack to "Dreamgirls."
Here is The Farr Side's top CDs of 2007.
1. "Elliott Yamin," Elliott Yamin
Elliott Yamin became like the little engine that could with the release of his self-titled debut album in March. His top-three finish on Season 5 of "American Idol" didn't turn him into an overnight sensation or instantly get him a record deal, but it did spark a fire within him to pursue his dreams. I'm glad he did, because his talent is so beyond his years. Yamin signed with an independent label for the release of his debut album. I was both excited and eager to hear what I believed he could already do, especially after seeing him nail just about every song he performed on Idol and on the "American Idol's Live" tour.
"Elliott Yamin" is old-school R&B at its finest, good enough to stand up against the ranks of Donny Hathaway, Brook Benton and Otis Redding records. The album's second single, "Wait For You," became a major smash on both the radio and video airwaves, making Yamin a bonafide success story. Other notable tracks on the album include "One Word," "You Are The One," "Train Wreck," "Alright" and "Take My Breath Away."
Yamin proved that you can make it even without the backing of a major record label, something not easily done today. "Elliott Yamin" is the biggest-selling independent album release of 2007, which can only mean one thing: If you're going to sing it, then sing it like Yamin it!
Best Track: "Take My Breath Away."
2. "Graduation," Kanye West
Mr. West's and 50 Cent's highly publicized bet over whose album would sell more its first day of release was ended when West debuted at No. 1 on the album charts with "Graduation." The album had the highest first-week sales of any other album in 2007. "Stronger" is West's best single to date, and he's had a few good ones along the way already. The album boasts a more mature West, musically speaking. "Good Life" features T-Pain and a sample of Michael Jackson's "P.Y.T." You can't get much better than that. Other notable tracks include "Can't Tell Me Nothing" and "Homecoming." West also earned eight Grammy nominations for "Graduation," including Album of the Year. As big a year as West has enjoyed, it turned out bittersweet when he lost his mom and best friend, Donda West.
Best Track: "Stronger."
3. "Back To Black," Amy Winehouse
What if you take Gwen Stefani's glam, Mariah Carey's glitz, and Celine Dion's poise and put them all together. Who do you have? Not Amy Winehouse! That's what's so good about her. She's not afraid to be herself, rehab or not. "Back To Black" is like a throwback to the 60s sounds of Dusty Springfield and the girl groups produced by Phil Spector, only with present day lyricism. "Rehab" (something she should consider) is an obvious standout in an album of full of standouts and eyebrow lifters including "You Know I'm No Good," "Love Is A Losing Game" and "Tears Dry On Their Own." I enjoy her twisted sense to writing catchy songs.
Best Track: "Rehab."
4. "Raising Sand," Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
This is what making great music is all about. Plant and Krauss' May/December musical relationship was an unlikely matchup, but their chemistry on this album is anything but unlikely -- it's flawless. The two artists come together beautifully on old classics like the Don and Phil Everly-penned "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)" and Mel Tillis' "Stick With Me Baby." Krauss is superb vocally on "Through The Morning, Through The Night," while Plant's own "Please Read The Letter" resonates brilliance. Plant may have some years on Krauss, but that don't mean a thing here. They demonstrate how music can and does transcend the ages when it's this good.
Best Track: "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)."
5. "My December," Kelly Clarkson
You go, girl! Clarkson took on producer and record company mogul Clive Davis to put out the album she wanted. "My December" may not have achieved the commercial success "Breakaway" did, but Clarkson achieved so much more here. She's the first "American Idol" to put anything out with some substance to it. That might scare some, but it makes her worthy to me. The record was an intimate look into the soul of a girl we thought had it all. It turns out she's just as human as anyone else. She hurts, she feels pain and she struggles just like we do. From the intense opener "Never Again" to the quiet and fragile disposition of "Irvine," Clarkson opened her heart like a diary.
Best Track: "Be Still."
6. "Magic," Bruce Springsteen
The Boss was back in business on "Magic," the album that brought back the famed E-Street Band. It was the Springsteen I remember. "Magic" fell along the lines of "Born To Run" and "Born In The U.S.A.," which are tops in my book. "Radio Nowhere" kicks off this timely reflection of songs, which often goes political. "Gypsy Biker," "Devil's Arcade" and "Last To Die" hit home in their intent, something Springsteen needs no magic to do. On a lighter side, his free-spirited side is also represented on "Girls In Their Summer Clothes" and "Your Own Worst Enemy."
Best Track: "Girls In Their Summer Clothes."
7. "The Dutchess," Fergie
This album had to grow a little on me before I found it praise-worthy. I'm a fan of Fergie and remember her days as part of the trio Wild Orchid, long before she was a Black-Eyed Pea. The first two singles, "London Bridge" and "Fergalicious," felt like Gwen Stefani rip-offs to me, but "Glamorous" and "Big Girls Don't Cry" made me see her as a viable female star in her own right. I like that the album can't be classified into any one genre -- it has wide appeal. Her success has been obvious, but I believe we've only just begun to see her star shine. Grab your sunglasses. She's got a bright future ahead!
Best Track: "Clumsy."
8. "Lost Highway," Bon Jovi
I knew it would take a rockin' band like Bon Jovi to show these newfound country bands how it's done. "Lost Highway" put the New Jersey rockers on top of the Country Charts with songs like "(You Want To) Make A Memory," "I Love This Town" and the duet pairing of Jon and LeAnn Rimes on "Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore." The cool thing about this album is it may be country flavored, but it’s still a Bon Jovi record through and through.
Best Track: "Whole Lot Of Leavin'."
9. "The Story," Brandi Carlile
I had to have this album after hearing the title track just one time. Carlile's incredible vocal prowess conjured up images of Tammy Wynette, Janis Joplin and Melissa Etheridge all rolled up into one electrifying package. Every song represented on this effort is equally good including "Turpentine" and "My Song," but it was "The Story" that blew me away. I can't think of any other woman on the scene today that could have delivered those lyrics with as much raw emotion as Carlile did.
Best Track: "The Story."
10. "Begin To Hope," Regina Spektor
This album represents what a lot of albums lacked in 2007 -- an artistic touch. Spektor is not your everyday singer and her music is not your everyday style, and yet, she created some tracks on this record that totally got stuck in my head. "Fidelity" is a quirky, lovable and infectious little song that showcases Spektor's artsy nature, something missing from much of today's studio-based creations.
Best Track: "Fidelity."
David T. Farr is a Sturgis Journal correspondent. E-mail him at farrboy@hotmail.com.

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